Iran in 1576 is a place of peace, wealth, and dazzling beauty. But when the Shah dies without having named an heir, the court is thrown into tumult. Princess Pari, the Shah’s daughter and closest adviser, knows more about the inner workings of the state than almost anyone, but the princess’s maneuvers to instill order after her father’s sudden death incite resentment and dissent. Pari and her trusted servant, a eunuch able to navigate the harem as well as the world beyond the palace walls, are in possession of an incredible tapestry of secrets and information that reveals a power struggle of epic proportions.

Based loosely on the life of Princess Pari Khan Khanoom, Equal of the Sun is a riveting story of political intrigue and a moving portrait of an unlikely friendship between a princess and a eunuch. Anita Amirrezvani is a master storyteller, and in her lustrous prose this rich and labyrinthine world comes to vivid life with a stunning cast of characters, passionate and brave men and women who defy or embrace their destiny in a Machiavellian game played by those who lust for power and will do anything to attain it.

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Listener Opinions

Diane | 2/9/2014

" By the author of The Blood of Flowers which is the story of a 17th century Iranian girl's evolution into a master carpet maker, unheard of for a woman. Amirrezvani, the Iranian-American author, once again attempts to draw the veil away from the image of Muslim women, this time with the story of a real-life 16th century Iranian princess, Pari Khan Khanoom, who becomes a power to be reckoned with in the tumultuous court of the that time and place. Her right-hand man, supporter and biographer is a eunuch named Javaher (jewel). As is the usual case in historical fiction, the story revolves around the role of women attaining power by marrying powerful men and producing a male heir asap. Pari takes a different route. The author's accounts of the eunuch culture of the time is very interesting as is her treatment of sexuality. Recommended for fans of historical fiction and feminists. Gay women would probably appreciate it too. "

Sharon Huether | 2/3/2014

" Equal of the Sun By Anita Amirrezvani This was a time in history in the middle east when women could not go places where men could go. Thus they needed a loyal man to here and see all. This eunuch had wise suggestions to the young princess after her father the Shah died. She appreciated him. She also had a lot of famly that muddied the waters politicly. Life was not simple. "

Catarina | 1/18/2014

" Excellent, vivid writing of life imagined in the Iranian royal family in 1500s. Gets compared often to author's first book, "The blood of flowers", and often deemed that it's not as good as her first. I would disagree with those comments. It's just a different type of story and because of actual Iranian history that she weaves her narrative around, she did a fine job. My only two criticisms are that she overdoes it on the descriptive writing of the clothes, food, interiors. I understand it creates a setting but she did it too much to where I just often skipped those paragraphs that seemed a bit long winded & didn't advance the story. The other is that the parallel story of the narrator's quest for justice for his father's murder is a bit confusing at the end. The motives and who did what remain unnecessarily obscured. Otherwise, a beautiful, heart wrenching, redeeming story that stays with you. "

Sherry | 1/14/2014

" Just started it. I am traveling this week so this book will be my companion.. It starts off strong. "

Christine Rebbert | 1/13/2014

" I'm going to have to take it back to the library unfinished. I was intrigued by the reviews I'd read, and thought it would be interesting to read about 15th century Persia, and maybe learn something... but it's written from the point of view of the princess's eunuch, and I can't remember who all the people are, with their long hard-to-pronounce Persian names, to the point of having stopped caring... "

Lynn | 1/12/2014

" As a lover of historical fiction I was drawn to this book. It was refreshing to read about and era and a country I had not experienced very often. The politics of the Iranian court was fascinating. Pari was a strong woman in a culture that did not allow women power or freedom. It was also interesting to watch her relationship the the eunuch, Javaher develop. "

Betsy | 1/11/2014

" A novel of based on Iranian history. a good read but having to refer back to the list of characters slowed me down. "

Beverly | 12/8/2013

" I enjoyed her first book, "Blood and Flowers" a bit more but found reading about a women's quest for power in Iran very interesting. Loved the characters and the machinations to learn secrets of what plots were afoot. "

CarolynAnn | 11/9/2013

" I'm so looking forward to this book. I absolutely loved The Blood of Flowers. "

Danica Ramgoolam | 1/29/2013

" A quick read with very interesting historical backdrop. I just wanted the leading female character to make a little more headway on power than she did. However for the times and the place, Iran, I guess she had a lot more power than any other women. Too Sad for it to be a favorite. "

Pat | 1/4/2013

" A very interesting insight to the history of Iran. An intriging story about a eunuch, a princess,a royal court and all the power plays involved in palace and harem life. "

Mara Gaulzetti | 11/13/2012

" Great book. I loved the story, the characters, the detailed descriptions. It really brought me to another time and place. I read this book extra slowly in order to savor it...I'm sad that I finished it! "

Debbie | 6/16/2012

" I liked it, because I'm intrigued by historical fiction. I didn't like this as much as her first book, which I thought was amazing, but still a good read. "

Other Titles by Anita Amirrezvani:

About the Author

Anita Amirrezvani is the Iranian author of The Blood of Flowers,which was long-listed for the Orange Prize,and a former staff writer and dance critic for the San Jose Mercury News and the Contra Costa Times. She has received fellowships from the National Arts Journalism Program, the NEA’s Arts Journalism Institute for Dance, and the Hedgebrook Foundation for Women Writers. She is currently an adjunct professor at the California College of the Arts in San Francisco.

About the Narrator

Simon Vance (a.k.a. Robert Whitfield) is an award-winning actor and an AudioFile Golden Voice with fifty-eight Earphones Awards. He has won thirteen prestigious Audie Awards and was Booklist’s very first Voice of Choice in 2008. He has narrated more than eight hundred audiobooks over almost thirty years, beginning when he was a radio newsreader for the BBC in London.

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